1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pickup bed protectors, and more particularly pertains to a pickup bed protector which is formed as an elongated channel strip adapted to be placed over the top side edge of a pickup truck bed. Pickup trucks are utilized to haul a variety of loads. Frequently, during placement of these loads in the bed of the truck, the side edges of the pickup bed will be scratched by contact with the load. Over a period of time, the pickup bed will rust and deteriorate due to an accumulation of these scratches. In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a pickup bed protector which is received over the top edge of a pickup bed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of pickup bed protectors are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a bed protector is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 874,704, which issued to O. Reynolds on Dec. 24, 1907. This patent discloses a channel shaped strip which is nailed to a top edge of a wooden wagon box. U.S. Pat. No. 1,704,138, which issued to M. Moesta on Mar. 5, 1929, discloses a scuff plate for a vehicle body which is formed from a channel shaped metallic strip which is nailed to a wooden vehicle body. U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,814, which issued to J. Duffy on Oct. 22, 1940, discloses a door seal scuff plate for an automobile. The scuff plate is constructed of a metallic strip enclosed within a resilient sealing strip. U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,223, which issued to K. Wilfert et al on Sept. 9, 1975, discloses a protective insulation for the covering of windshield column, a roof frame and a rear windshield column in the interior space of an automobile. The device consists of a plastically deformable padded hollow member which has a curved surface provided with mounting flanges which are configured complimentary to the automobile body surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,052, which issued to B. Krysiak et al on July 3, 1979, discloses a side edge automobile protecting strip for mounting along the length of an automobile. The device includes a metallic channel strip provided with a resilient bumper strip mounted therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,013, which issued to D. Elwell et al on Aug. 5, 1986, discloses a side rail assembly for attachment to the upper wall of a pickup truck bed. The device includes a channel strip with an attached upstanding rail. Hidden threaded fasteners are utilized to secure the upstanding rail to a base plate and to the side rail of the pickup bed.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices provide a pickup bed protector with secondary side and tail lights as well as a series of spaced spring retracted load securing straps. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of pickup bed protectors, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such pickup bed protectors, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.